CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois men’s basketball coach Scott Nagy picked up his fourth signing of the offseason on Wednesday as SIU welcomes Damien Mayo Jr. to the Saluki family. Mayo officially joins forwards Jaheem Webber and Rolyns Aligbe and guard Drew Steffe in Nagy’s initial recruiting class.
“We’re thrilled to get Damien based on the leadership that he will provide, and he obviously knows the league very well,” Nagy said. “What we’re most excited for is his toughness, his leadership, and what he’s going to provide for us with his experience.”
Mayo Jr. spent the previous two seasons at Missouri State where he saw action in 60 games, starting 38 games for the Bears. Last year the 6-foot-3 guard started 21 games and averaged 5.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and one assist per game. He scored a season-high 13 points against Sam Houston and scored in double-digits in seven games including two of the last four games of the season. He recorded his first career double-double in a win over UIC with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
The St. Louis native made 17 starts and 31 appearances as a true freshman for the Bears in 2022-23. He scored in double-figures three times and scored a season-high 13 points in an MVC Tournament win against UIC.
A standout in the classroom for the Bears, Mayo Jr. was named honorable mention on the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team his sophomore season with a 3.58 GPA in accounting. He was also named to the MVC Honor Roll and the MSU Athletics Director Honor Roll.
A three-star composite recruit and Rivals three-star point guard, Mayo Jr. spent the 2021-22 season at Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri. Was a pivotal cog for coach Frank Bennett at St. Louis Chaminade Prep, leading the team to a 21-2 run in 2020-21.
His junior year ended with district and conference titles and a Class 6 state playoff run. He averaged 13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game in 2020-21 at Chaminade, posting a season-best 32-point outburst vs. Vianney in which he was 13-of-18 from the field with four three-pointers.
